


Alola: Forever Home Sanctuary

by KateMcHughGorman



Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon - All Media Types, Pocket Monsters: Sun & Moon | Pokemon Sun & Moon Versions, Pocket Monsters: X & Y | Pokemon X & Y Versions
Genre: Eventual Smut, F/M, Moon is mute, Moon reminds me of Frisk, Pokemon Rehab, Reader-Insert
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-02-02
Updated: 2018-05-09
Packaged: 2018-09-21 11:27:48
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 15,882
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9547172
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KateMcHughGorman/pseuds/KateMcHughGorman
Summary: You’re a good person.You’ve dedicated your life to the restoration and retirement of abused and battle hardened pokemon. Looking for a comfortable ‘forever home’ for your growing group, you decided that Alola was the perfect region!Tropical, warm, calming breezes--Gorgeous professors?Uh…maybe you should have stayed in Unova.*Based after the Sun/Moon storyline.





	1. Hello Alola!

 

Moving to a new region, in theory, sounded like a very stressful situation.

In reality, it was _hell_.

Today was your last day in your home region of Unova. Born and raised in Castelia City, this was going to be a huge adventure for yourself and your pokemon! Your team was nervous; but even more nervous were the pokemon under your protection.

You ran a small pokemon sanctuary back in the city. The majority of the pokemon you took care of were either abused and abandoned; or had been thrown away by their trainers once old age settled in their bones and they were no longer as powerful as they had once been.

 _Bastards_.

Above all else, the ‘ _Forever Home Sanctuary’_ was your pride and joy.

Striving to give all the pokemon in your care the best life possible; you had been searching for a permanent place to own the sanctuary. At first, Castelia City had been perfect, but you underestimated the need for a sanctuary. You only had room for about ten pokemon at a time; but you currently had thirteen, with people still begging and trying to send you pokemon in need.

It only made sense to move somewhere larger. The sanctuary needed to grow, and your pokemon desperately needed room. Moving your sanctuary to Alola was a simple decision. A beautiful tropical getaway, where your pokemon could stretch out, play in the ocean, bask in the sun. It was a dream come true!

After calling the proper authorities, getting the permits, and packing up the entire sanctuary, as well as the only life you’d ever known; you found yourself waiting in the airport.

And as per your luck, the plane was late.

Once again: _This felt like hell._

Security held you up with a million questions. Most trainers were only allowed to carry six pokemon, but because of your job you were carrying many more. You had your own team of six, plus a small satchel filled with your other thirteen rescued pokemon.

“Yes, I know that trainers weren’t allowed to carry this many pokemon- but I’m _not_ a trainer!” You growled at the security worker, irritated.  It took twenty minutes of more useless questions plus you waving around your credentials and permits allowing you to have so many pokemon.

Frustrated, you slumped into a chair to wait. Irritated, you gave one of the six balls attached to your belt a small tap. With a flash, your smallest personal pokemon was suddenly sitting in your lap.

“I know, we’re supposed to be halfway to Alola by now.” You soothed the irritated Pidove. She always hated being in her ball. “Soon, Pidove, soon. You’re lucky you’re so small. I’m sure Zebstrika or Sawbuck wish they could come out and stretch their legs.”

Pidove cooed, nuzzling your stomach.

_“Sorry for the wait! Flight 206 to the Alola Region is ready to board! Arrival time in Ula’Ula Island is expected to be 8:30 pm. If Ula’Ula is not your final destination, there will be ferries to the other islands! Thank you for your patience! Will those seated in section A and B please form a line to board!”_

Damn, it was too early for anyone to be that cheery.

Pidove cooed, gently pecking at your knee, sensing your mounting agitation.

“Some people can’t be as optimistic as you.” You jokingly chastised your beloved bird, pecking her small head with a kiss before calling her back into her ball. Double checking your bags, you were soon on the plane, seated, and half-asleep before the plane even took off.

* * *

_  
Ding! Ding!_

Groggily, you woke with a start. You felt one of your pokeballs jostle at your hip- unhappy and worried about your sudden movement. Gently hushing them, and probably looking like a lunatic to the average person, you sat up.

_“We will now be descending into Ula’Ula airport! The time is 8:15 pm, a little earlier than our predicted time. The temperature is 95 degrees Fahrenheit! Lovely for those of you coming from colder destinations! Thank you for flying with us and welcome to Alola!”_

A few of your fellow passengers cheered, ready to be off the plane after so many hours. You let out a sigh of relief, stretching your legs out as much as you could, and feeling the weight of your carry-on bag between your feet.

The sun was starting to dip beneath the line of the ocean as you exited the plane. Oranges, pinks, and reds colored the sky and you knew you’d made the right decision. Despite all the struggle and pains to get here; this was the best decision for the shelter.

The ferry port was thankfully attached to the airport, so you didn’t have to walk long with your luggage. On the ferry, you let your Pidove out of her ball once more. She trilled happily, ruffling her feathers and breathing in the ocean air.

“Almost to our new home.” You smiled at your smallest pokemon, who flew to your shoulder, nuzzling into the crook of your neck. Pidove was a sweet little thing, never wanting anything more than your attention and love.

You could never understand how someone could willingly leave or hurt their pokemon.

From her spot on your shoulder, Pidove cooed in awe. Following her line of sight, you could barely make out the shape of your new home: Mele Mele Island. The little bird began to bounce happily on your shoulder, cheeping and squawking loudly.

“You can fly ahead and explore if you want.” It wasn’t hard to see the excitement on your Pidove’s face as she nuzzled you before taking flight. She would never go too far- and even if she did, she would always find her way back to you.

Thankfully, the ferry ride was only an hour long. Pidove was waiting for you at the port, looking bright eyed and ecstatic! Letting the little bird land on your shoulder, you fished out a palm-sized green device.

The man who sent it to you, Kahuna Hala, said it was a ride pager and to use it once you were safely on the island.  

You pressed the button and waited.

And _waited_.

_And waited…_

Looking around, nothing seemed to be happening. After fifteen minutes, you were beginning to grow concerned. Had you broken it? What was it even supposed to do? The Kahuna had been very vague.

 _Oh_.

Suddenly, there was a massive Tauros right in front of you, seemingly out of thin air. It had a harness attached to its back and was watching you with wide eyes.

Oh, a ride pager. Made sense now.

Neat.

“Uh…I’m new here.” You whispered to the Tauros, unsure of your actions. Surely, you could pull up a map on your pokedex and walk yourself home, but maybe the Tauros would understand. “My house is on route one. About a ten minute walk from the beach; big ranch-style house with a blue roof.”

The Tauros perked up, eagerly nodding his head. It jerked his head for you to get on his back. Worriedly glancing at your heavy suitcase, you frowned. “I don’t want to hurt you.”

Tauros snorted, frowning at you as if insulted.

Quick! Fix the mistake! You don’t need your guide pissed at you!

“I-I mean I doubt that I would! You’re the strongest Tauros I’ve ever seen! My Tauros would be jealous of you!” You sputtered, quickly attaching your bags to the back of the harness and jumping up. Tauros snorted happily, its head raised high in pride. It practically marched through the town, Iki Town, and past the beach.

On the beach was a house that looked like it had seen better days. Some of the railings were smashed, there were holes in the roof, and there was clear damage all around.

“Wonder what happens there.” You said, trying to glance at the sign, but Tauros was moving too fast. By the time Tauros had found your home, the beach shack was nothing more than a speck in the distance. Tauros stopped in front of your house, head held high.

Your house was more beautiful than it could imagine! The pictures did not do your new home justice. A beautiful ranch house, with about 600 acres of diversified land! That was just under a mile of land; and it was all yours! It was mostly grassland, with a small forest, and a pond!

It wasn’t much in the grand scheme of the world, but it was more than you could ever ask for!

Pidove flew through the air, chirping happily. You could see the tree that she had her eye on for nesting. Giggling at your little bird’s antics, you eagerly pulled the other five pokeballs off of your hips.

“Come on out! Let’s check the perimeter before we let the others out!” You called to your personal team, the ones you trained yourself. While working at the sanctuary, you quickly realized that there were bad people in the world- people that wanted to steal pokemon or harass your poor babies.

Your personal team was trained to guard and protect those pokemon that lived at the sanctuary. They were a mean, lean, protecting machine and the best team you could ever ask for.

“Liepard!” You greeted your sly friend, who playfully evaded your pet. She smirked, waiting patiently as the rest of your team appeared from their pokeballs with bright flashes of light.

Watchog, ever the nervous wreck, began dashing around in circles. Zoroark tried to sooth him, but it was almost impossible to calm the little creature. Zebstrika and Sawsbuck waited calmly and patiently for you to say something.

“Pidove has already done a quick search. It’s been a long day, so we’ll make sure everything’s safe, and then settle in for the night.” Your pokemon nodded, rushing across the stretch of land. You took the keys out of your pocket and unlocked the door to your home.

It was dark and quiet. Boxes piled up everywhere and it seemed so empty. There was a small garage attached to the kitchen where you stored all the food, bedding, and necessities for the shelter. A quick check in there showed that Kahuna Hala had organized everything for you- you’d have to thank him later.

A soft tapping at the garage door jolted you out of your thoughts. Hitting the entry button, the large garage door opened to reveal your fluttering Pidove. “Everything clear?”

Pidove nodded.

“No signs of troublemakers?”

Pidove shook her head.

“Perfect. Thank you. I’ll get the food settled and let everyone out.” You blew a kiss to your Pidove, who swooshed away, trilling happily. You made quick time of filling the bowls with food, making sure there was one bowl for everyone before you went to get the bag that carried all your rescued pokemon.

The thirteen pokemon eagerly leapt from their balls, not used to being confined for so long.

“Welcome home, boys and girls!” You called to all thirteen pokemon, some of them eagerly greeting you back, while others were still wary of you. Some completely ignored you and went straight for the food bowls.

A loud hissing fast approaching was your only warning before you were bowled over by a massive pokemon.

“Woah! Baby! I missed you, too!” You laughed, wrapping your arms around the Arbok. Arbok, who you affectionately called Baby, had been with you for a long time. He was unnaturally large, covered in scars, and blind in one eye.

He had been relinquished to you by the police department the first year you had opened your sanctuary. Baby’s trainer had been a higher up of Team Rocket, and had horribly abused the poor Arbok. He was battle hardened and didn’t trust a single thing any human did or said.

Time and care had won out. Arbok grew to trust you and you grew to trust in your ability to help pokemon.  

With all your pokemon settled in for the night, you went to sleep.

Exhausted, but happy.


	2. Moon

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> http://kaytemchugh.tumblr.com/
> 
> I do have a tumblr! Come say hi (I have a lot of Undertale there- but it's pokemon too!)

Every pokemon at the sanctuary seemed pleased with the move. They had more space to move around, less noise, and more fresh air. What more can a pokemon want, right?

Well… _almost everyone_ was happy.

“Prinplup, I know you’re upset.” Zebstrika had warned you about Prinplup’s pouting, rousing you from your sleep early this morning to help deal with the grumpy pokemon. The water pokemon was wallowing in the small pond, squirting water at anyone who was deemed too close. You were soaking wet at this point, but you didn’t care.

“Prinp…” Prinplup hissed at you, gearing up for a more powerful attack.

Even though you didn’t want to, you knew when to back off.

“We moved here so we’d have more room. I felt guilty that you and the others were cramped back home. If I can do anything to make this more like home for you, tell me. Or one of the team. We’re here to help you.”

You left the pouting Prinplup in the pond, your clothes soaking and sneakers making gross squishing-plopping noises with every step you took. You passed the group of pokemon you liked to call ‘The Snoozers’: the five elderly pokemon under your care that spent the majority of the day napping under the shade.

“Tauros, Onix, Chimecho, Gogoat, Crobat!” You called to the snoozers, playfully reaching up to scratch Crobat’s head as he hung upside down from a tree. “How’s it _hanging_?”

Onix moaned, rolling her eyes.

“C’mon! That was a good one!” You laughed, even though the snoozers grumbled, clearly not as amused with your pun as you were. “I was going to head into Hau’oli City and maybe make a pit stop at the berry field nearby, but I guess if you are all sleeping you don’t want any.”

“Chime! Chimecho!” Chimecho chirped, wiggling happily. Gogoat and Tauros began to beg, giving you large puppy-dog eyes. Even Onix was!

“Alright, _alright_! I’ll bring you guys back some treats. You guys know the rules, Sawsbuck’s in charge while I’m gone!” Grabbing your bag, you got ready to leave your sanctuary and get a taste of the town. Your team knew to guard the sanctuary and pokemon while you were gone.

As you were walking towards the road, you spied one of your newest pokemon napping in the shade of the front steps. Houndoom reminded you a lot of how Baby used to be when he first arrived. Houndoom was grumpy, mistrustful, and covered in battle scars.

“Houndoom, why don’t you come to Hau’oli with me? See some sights?” Getting him out and about would be good for the salty pokemon. Houndoom scowled at you, his spaded tail whipping behind him. “You can pick out whatever berries you want on our way back!” 

He stared at you, dark red eyes narrowed. He always thought you had an ulterior motive for everything. Sighing, you shrugged your shoulders. Maybe today wasn’t the day for a breakthrough.

“Stay if you want. I’ll bring you home some oran berries.” Houndoom wouldn’t learn to trust you if you pushed him too hard. When it came to rehabilitating pokemon, you’ve learned that low and steady always was the best way to go. You needed to pick which battles to fight and which to let slide.  

Halfway down the road, you noticed the massive dog following quietly at your side. You smiled, earning an irritated growl from him.

Passing the beach, you spied the run down house. Everything seemed quiet and you were able to read the crooked sign out front.

_‘Pokemon Research Lab’._

“Huh.” You shrugged. “Looks a little…unprofessional to be a lab. Aren’t those places supposed to be state of the art and flashy?”

Houndoom huffed, shrugging his shoulders. He sniffed the air, staring curiously at the battered beach house.

“How about we go say hi later on?” Houndoom growled at the idea.

Happy that Houndoom had come with you to the city, you were quick to get your grocery shopping done. The entire time you were in the shop, Houndoom sat outside, looking like the world’s grumpiest gargoyle.    

When you left the store, Houndoom glared at you. You hadn’t kept him waiting long and he knew it! He was just looking for any reason to be miserable.

“We’ll need to have a beach day soon!” You ignored the intense glare; grinned at the gorgeous looking beachfront. Shouldering your bag of groceries, you headed towards the berry fields that you had seen on your pokedex’s map. “But first things first- berry time!”

 When the two of you arrived at the berry field, you were surprised to find it relatively barren. A crooked sign outside the field read: ‘ _Alola! Pick all you can carry! Free for all!’_ was the only thing to greet you. Glad you had thought to bring another grocery bag, you pulled it out. “It looks like there’s only oran and persim berries here now. Is that okay?”

Houndoom huffed, seeming uninterested, but you noticed the way his eyes lit up at the sound of persim berries.

You packed a few dozen berries into your bag, slung it over your shoulders, and got ready for the long trek back home. “I see why people here use ride pagers. If I had one more bag I’d need a Tauros!”

The walk back home was relatively quiet.

Until you were passing the trainer school.

“Woah! That is _so_ cool!”

Turning your head, you watched as two kids raced towards you. One was a boy with dark skin and dark hair pulled back into a pony tail. His brown eyes were locked on Houndoom, an exuberant grin across his face. The other child, a girl in a red hat, followed her friend, a calm smile on her face.

“Miss! Alola! Miss, is this your pokemon! He’s so cool! Look at his horns! Moon! MOON! Do you SEE THIS?!” The boy shouted, stopping a few inches short of Houndoom’s personal space. The dog snarled, showing off his cracked and razor sharp teeth. The boy yelped, leaping back as if his pants caught fire.

“Sorry about him.” You took a step between Houndoom and the kids. “He’s one of my pokemon up at the sanctuary. He’s not too used to other people yet.”

The girl’s eyes lit up, and she nudged the boy with her elbow. Using her hands, she made a quick flurry of movements, something you recognized as Kanto sign language. The boy nodded along, his grin growing. “Oh! You’re the rehab lady that my Gramps was talking about! I’m Hau and this is Moon!”

Holding your hand out to the two kids, you happily shook hands. “I’m ____________. You wouldn’t happen to be Kahuna Hala’s grandson, would you?”

Hau laughed sheepishly, nervously scratching at the back of his head. “That’s me!”

You smiled. “Your grandfather has helped me so much! Would you mind telling me where he lives? I want to give him a visit sometime soon.”

While Hau told you where to find Hala, you spied the little girl, Moon, watching Houndoom curiously. The devil dog stared back, unblinkingly. He cocked his head, studying every move that Moon made. She smiled at Houndoom with large gray-brown orbs filled with interest. He huffed, glancing away from Moon.

 _Interesting_.

“-and that’s where you can find Gramps!” Hau finished his long-winded, but adorably energetic, explanation.

“Thanks, Hau! I’ll be seeing you guys around, alright?” You were eager to get back to the sanctuary. Moon cleared her throat to get Hau’s attention, and made a quick flurry of hand signs.

“Oh! Moon wants to know if there are other pokemon at the sanctuary!” Hau asked. “Do ya have more pokemon? Anything cooler than this guy?”

Houndoom snarled.

You patted the grumpy dog on his head. “Everyone at the sanctuary is cool. Houndoom is extra cool though.”  

Houndoom smirked.

Moon smiled, rocking happily on her feet. Her eyes never left Houndoom, who seemed a bit embarrassed by all the attention. Taking pity on the poor creature, you adjusted your grip on your grocery bags. “We’ll see you kids around. I’ve got some berries to deliver.”

Hau eagerly bid you goodbye and Moon gave you a friendly wave. The kids raced back towards the beachfront, where a massive Incineroar and a majestic Decidueye waited patiently. Those kids must be more powerful in a battle than they look!

“Huh, nice trainers.” You commented to Houndoom, who as per usual- rolled his eyes. He didn’t trust humans, but most of all he disliked trainers. His own trainer had hurt him, used him like a battle toy. In Houndoom’s world, trainers weren’t to be trusted. 

Frowning at Houndoom’s dark look, the two of you walked in silence all the way to the sanctuary. He was quick to leave your side, curling back up in the shade of the front step once more the moment you opened your front gate. He closed his eyes, tail curled around his scarred body. Smiling sadly, you placed a handful of berries by his side.

“If you need anything, find me or tell the team. You know the drill.” With that, you left the grumpy creature be. You stopped at every pokemon you saw, delivering berries and checking in on them.

Glancing back at the house, you could see Watchog up on the roof, scanning all around. Pidove was napping in one of the trees, cooing happily in her sleep. Liepard and Zebstrika were nowhere to be seen, but that wasn’t unusual. Zoroark was napping by the pond, keeping a watchful eye out on the still pouting Prinplup and Zangoose.

Something gentle nudged at your back. Turning, you caught sight of your Sawsbuck, looking majestic as ever with the gorgeous flowers blossoming on his antlers. He snorted, gazing out over the land with a serene glint in his eyes. You threw your arm around Sawsbuck’s back, running your fingers through the coarse fur at his neck. “Do you think we’re doing alright?” 

Sawsbuck nodded, nudging your cheek with his muzzle.

 

That was your old friend; he was your grounding and clarity whenever you were unsure.

                            


	3. The Professors' Offer

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You can add me on tumblr! I mostly do Undertale, but I take requests for a lot of fandoms! (Pokemon, Star Trek, TMNT, ect) 
> 
> http://kaytemchugh.tumblr.com/
> 
> Donate (no pressure): https://www.paypal.me/katemchughgorman

The next few days were thankfully uneventful. You’d met with Kahuna Hala, gotten friendly with some locals, and even had a request for an adoption! The man who ran the berry fields had stopped by for a visit and had fallen in love with Gogoat; who seemed equally smitten with the man.

Things were starting to look up, alright!

You were sitting on your living room couch, mindlessly watching a documentary and eating your lunch, when a loud knock came from the front door. Liepard, who had been sleeping on the kitchen counter, opened one eye. She made a disgruntled sound, curling in on herself.

“Oh hush,” You teased your pokemon. “It might be someone else for adoption! That would be incredible! Two adoptions in one week!”

Much to your shock, your front door began to open by itself.

_What the hell?_

“ALOLA!”

Jumping away from the doorway, you shrieked at the man who burst into your house. Liepard yowled angrily, leaping off the counter and ready to fight. The man jumped back, holding his hands out in front of him.

“Woah! Easy there, cousin!” The intruder laughed, a huge smile across his tanned face. “I just came by to see how the island was treating you, yeah!” 

The man was strange looking, Liepard seemed to think so, too.

He was taller than you, with tanned skin, big expressive dark eyes, and dark brown hair pulled back at the nape of his neck. Whoever he was, he wore gray shorts, a white-rainbow baseball hat, green glasses, and nothing but a lab coat to cover his bare chest.

“Who are you?” Generally, you weren’t a rude person- but this guy just _let himself into your house_! What if he was a murderer or some kind of creep?!

The man smiled, looking down at you like he was the happiest man in the world. “I’m Professor Kukui. I run the Pokemon Research Lab down the road.” Kukui stepped further into your house, waving at your hissing Liepard. “I would have come by sooner, yeah, but I was working on some new moves!”

“T-that’s nice.” You were unsure of what to say.

 _This_ is the guy that lived in that ratty shack by the sea? He looked less…disgusting than you were expecting. Sure, he didn’t look like your _average_ professor, but who were you to judge? “I’m ___________, I run this sanctuary.”

“Welcome to Alola, ____________!” The professor reminded you a bit of Hau. Was everyone on this island so upbeat and cheery? He stuck his hand out to you, your hand quickly becoming engulfed by his massive palm.

Then, from the next room, came the most ungodly _snarl_.

Houndoom sprinted from the kitchen, snarling like he was possessed. He charged at Professor Kukui, making the man let go of your hand and take a few steps back. You jumped in front of Houndoom, wrapping your arms around the neck of the massive dog. The professor’s eyebrows shot up in surprise, his hand rising to scratch at his scruffy chin.

“So Moon was right.” Professor Kukui said, intrigued. “You have a Houndoom.”

Resting a hand on the angry pokemon’s back, you nodded. “He’s not one of my personal team. He’s one of the sanctuary pokemon that live here. He’s not used to other people yet.”   

The mischievous twinkle in his dark eyes lessened, like a fire being extinguished. Kukui shoved his hands into the pockets of his lab coat. “Some people don’t know how to take care of their pokemon.” He shook his head, but his sadness in his eyes was quickly replaced by a smile. “Is he up for adoption?”

“Uh…Y-yeah, he is. He still needs to undergo some more rehab, but-.” You glanced down at Houndoom, whose eyes were widening in horror.

“Wonderful!” Professor Kukui shouted, his grin growing larger. “I’ll take him! Yeah!”

Houndoom’s expression was clear as day: _‘There is no way I’m leaving with this guy.’_

“Oh! That’s g-great news-”

“Yeah! I can’t wait to have him join my other pokemon! Woo!”

“-but you can’t simply _take_ him. He needs to undergo some healing still, and you’ll need to be evaluated to make sure you’ll offer him a proper home. I have one man, the owner of the berry fields on the other side of the island, undergoing evaluation now as well.”

Professor Kukui waved you off. “That’s fine, cousin. You do what you have to do to make sure everything’s in order!” He quickly knelt down, eye-to-eye with Houndoom. “Wouldn’t you like to come with me, yeah? I think you and Rockruff would be pals in no time, oh yeah!”

Houndoom growled, tail whipping wildly behind him.

Laughing weakly, you smiled up at the professor. “Well, as soon as he’s ready for adoption, you’ll be the first one I call.”

“Sounds good, yeah!”

…

…

…

_Dear God, why isn’t he leaving?_

“How’re you liking Alola?” Professor Kukui asked, glancing around the living room. Aw shit, you knew you should have unpacked more! The house looked like a hurricane had blown through it.  You could feel an embarrassed flush climbing up your cheeks.

“It’s nice, really nice.” You glanced out the window, smiling at the sight of sun and ocean. “We’re from Unova, so it’s a big change.”

Kukui’s eyebrows shot up in surprise. “You’re a far way from home! What made you pick Alola?”

Did this guy come here to play twenty questions?

Don’t get it wrong; you usually loved guests. But you were _so_ jet-lagged and not fully settled in- you were lucky you managed to get out of your pajamas and brush your teeth today…

“Uhh…well, I mean.” You stuttered. No one had asked you _why_ before, not even Kahuna Hala- they just welcomed you. “A lot of the pokemon I take care of are old and I figured they deserved to feel like every day was a vacation. Alola is the most tropical place I could think of that was still quiet. That’s all my pokemon want; to be in the fresh air, the sun, either to one day get adopted, or to spend their lives here with their new family.”

Kukui’s smile slid off his face, a pensive look crossing his features. He listened to you, dark eyes locked onto your own. Halfway through your answer, he began to scratch at the scruff at his chin once more.

Silence enveloped the house. You waited for the professor’s response, pursing your lips. Wringing your hands, you titled your head to the side. The professor mimicked your movements; dark eyes observing you.

_Geez, it felt like this guy was trying to mentally pick you apart._

“Uhh..” It felt like you were stuttering a lot around this professor. “I-if you don’t mind, I need to g-go do my rounds.”

Professor Kukui blinked widely, as if roused from deep thought. Grinning, he scratched the back of his neck. “Sorry ‘bout that cousin! Sometimes my mind can’t help but wander away without me. I’ll let you get on with your rounds!” He crouched down, getting eye-level with Houndoom once more. “And I’ll be by to see you again, buddy!”

 _Snarl_.

Before you could say anything, the professor was out the door. Scoffing, you looked down at your equally stunned Houndoom. Huffing, he looked up at you, his maw pursed into a disbelieving sneer.

“ _Liieeeep_.” Your Liepard meowed, slinking off to the dark corners of the house. Through the open window, Sawsbuck stuck his massive head through, snorting.

“We’re alright, Saws.” You said, watching the shirtless professor walk confidently down the road, back towards the beach. Sawsbuck sniffed the air, his eyes catching your gaze. His tense muscles relaxed, ears perking up in curiosity.

“He’s the local Professor.” You answered Sawsbuck’s non-verbal question. Houndoom glanced up at you, jaw opened in awe. “He wants to adopt Houndoom one day. Kinda odd, but seemed nice.”

Sawsbuck huffed, shrugging his head and rolling his eyes. “ _Saaaaaawsbuck_.”

You shrugged back. “Who knows if he meant it. The people here seem trustworthy. We’ll just have to wait and see if it pans out, right?”

Houndoom gaped at the two of you, head bouncing back and forth between you and Sawsbuck. His ears were pinned back and his nose scrunched up in apparent distrust. He had never seen a trainer talk to their pokemon like that. His trainer barley ever spoke to him, or seemed to understand what he was saying, like how you understood Sawsbuck.

Confused by the connection you seemed to have with your pokemon team, Houndoom slunk back to his shady spot beside the front step to think.

* * *

 

 

“Zor! Zoroark! Ark!”

Shaken out of your hammock, your knees thankfully smashed to the ground before your _face_ did. Hissing, you looked up at your Zoroark. For a usually laid back creature, her fur was on edge. Growling, she gestured towards the back of the yard, yowling angrily.

“Troublemakers?” You assumed, but Zoroark shook her head. Grabbing your hand, she hastily dragged you away. Ignoring the pain in your scraped knees, you blindly followed your pokemon. It wasn’t long before you heard the tell-tale sounds of a fight.

“Zor! Zor!” Zoroark shouted, dropping your hand and racing forward. At the back of the paddock, was the sweet little Raichu that was a recent addition to the sanctuary. The Raichu was between Grumpig and Prinplup, who were playing keep-away with Raichu’s favorite toy: a little bouncy ball. Raichu was crying, weakly trying to reclaim his ball.

“ ** _Hey_**!” You shouted, stomping over to the group. Raichu had tears in his eyes, the stubs that were left of his ears twitching. “What’s going on here?!”

Grumpig snorted, tucking the bouncy ball under her arm. She held the ball tight to her chest, holding her snout high in the air.

_Oh you little brat!_

Nodding to Zoroark, she began to weave her illusion. With a wave of her claw, the illusion of dozens of floating bouncy balls appeared, confusing Grumpig and Prinplup. In their haste to grab as many of the floating toys that they could, Grumpig dropped the real bouncy ball.

“Rai! Raichu!” Raichu quickly snatched up his ball, curling around it protectively. Seeing that the little mouse had reclaimed his ball, Zoroark dropped the illusion. Grumpig and Prinplup screeched in confusion, frantically looking around for the toys.

“Scary face.” You frowned, glaring down at the two troubled pokemon. Zoroark hissed, her icy eyes narrowed in dislike. Sneering at the bully pokemon, the two hunched over, gazes fixed on the ground. “We don’t pick on each other here.”

Prinplup’s eyes dropped to her feet and she hung her head. Every feather on her body seemed to droop sadly. Turning towards Raichu, still looking at the ground, she held her flipper out. “Primp….primp Prinplup.”

Raichu clung to his ball nervously, but seemed to except the heartfelt apology. “Raaai.”

You looked to Grumpig, who had her arms crossed over her chest. She refused to look at anyone, her snout high in the air once more.

 ** _BRAT_**!

Grumpig was without a doubt the most difficult pokemon you’d ever dealt with. She didn’t seem to respond positively to anything you did or said. She had been surrendered to the sanctuary because of her behavior.

“ _You_ should know how it feels to have something you love taken from you.” You admonished, nodding to Grumpig’s forehead. Where most of her kind had two black pearls, one of her pearls had been pried off, leaving a circular scar in its wake.

Grumpig faltered for a moment, but held her ground.

“Apologize to Raichu. You could have asked nicely for him to share his ball.” You gave her one final chance. Grumpig stared you down, dark eyes unmoving. Taking a deep breath, you counted backwards from fifteen.

Grumpig didn’t move an inch.  

“Alright, you know the rules. No one bullies here, we are a family and we help each other. C’mon, you’re coming with me.” You waved Grumpig over, who stomped after you, creating small pockets in the soft ground.

Leading her into the garage, you pulled out a large plastic bucket. Opening the top, you poured out the contents onto the floor: dozens and dozens of different evolutionary stones. “I’ve been meaning to organize these.” You found another container, this one with plastic compartments for organization. “You can sort the stones into their own separate compartments.”

Grumpig groaned, flopping down onto the floor. Huffing, she began to pick out the dusk stones first, grumbling under her breath. You never liked to punish any of the pokemon, but sometimes they needed a reality check.

“When you’re done, come get me.” You left Grumpig in the garage, leaving the large door open so she could have some fresh air and sunlight. Giving a quick scan of the sanctuary, everything seemed hunky-dory now.

“Just another trouble in paradise.” You hummed to yourself, heading back towards your hammock for a much needed nap. The exhaustion from the move was starting to catch up to you. You should probably clean up your scraped knees, but they weren’t that bad! They’d be even better after a nap. When you arrived back to your hammock, you found that it had become infested by some of your little friends.

Pidove, who was resting at the top of the hammock, greeted you with an exuberant chirp. Arbok and Shaymin were curled up in the hammock, snoozing soundly. Smiling, you let the three pokemon have the hammock, they deserved it.

Slumping into the soft grass, you stared up into the cloudless sky. This was the life- much better than the noisy city with murky air and cloudy sky. Taking a deep breath, you closed your eyes and let yourself resonate with the breathing of your slumbering pokemon.

“ _Raaaaaai_.”

Opening one eye, you smiled at Raichu, who had quietly popped up beside your head. He was still clutching his bouncy ball, watching you curiously.

Raichu was a good boy, a very skittish pokemon. He’d been given to you by the local pokemon center. He’d been found horribly abused by some neighborhood thugs: his ears cut off into little nubs and his tail clipped into a four-inch long stub.

“How are you liking it here?” You asked softly. Raichu clutched tighter at his ball, shifting his weight from foot to foot. Mewling under his breath, he shrugged his shoulders. His beautiful orange fur stood on end, and you knew he was incredibly nervous.

“Well, I hope you’re doing alright.” You smiled. “If you’re looking for someone to play with, I know Leavanny would love to play with you. He’s shy, but very nice. He wouldn’t dream of taking your ball away.”

Raichu hummed, turning his head to make eye-contact with Leavanny. Leavanny too had been abused by his past trainer before the police had taken him away. The sweet bug-grass pokemon smiled at Raichu, antennas twitching. Wagging his stump of a tail, Raichu slowly made his way over to his potential friend.

Sighing, you closed your eyes once more.

All in a day’s work.

 


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You can add me on tumblr! I mostly do Undertale, but I take requests for a lot of fandoms! (Pokemon, Star Trek, TMNT, ect)
> 
> http://kaytemchugh.tumblr.com/
> 
> Donate (no pressure): https://www.paypal.me/katemchughgorman

Meeting with the local Berry Master had been delightful. He was truly excited to adopt Gogoat, and had invited you to inspect his house. Everything looked good- Gogoat would have a fantastic and safe home when she would come to live here.

All that you needed to do now was interview him!

“So, Master-”

“Please, call me Pineda.” The Berry Master smiled, seated across from you at a picnic table just outside the fields.

You smiled. “Pineda, what will you expect of Gogoat as a pokemon? Are you looking for a farm hand or to be trained…?”

“I want a companion. My daughter used to have a Gogoat when she was a little girl, and ever since that pokemon passed on, I’ve been considering finding another. I’m not looking to battle or have her work the fields; I’m looking for a companion that I can enjoy my golden years alongside.”

Seeing the glimmer of honesty in his eyes, you didn’t need to ask any other questions. Gogoat would have a good home and a loving friend! You didn’t need to know anything else.

“Perfect.” You smiled, shaking his hand. “You can come pick her up tomorrow morning.”

You’d never seen a man of Pineda’s age jump out of his seat so fast! Grasping your hand with both of his, tears came to his eyes. “Thank you, Miss _________! You have no idea how happy you’ve made an old man.”

Feeling good about the situation, you left the berry fields. Of course, Pineda wouldn’t let you leave without a bag filled with berries. You took the long way back to the sanctuary, soaking in the rare time you had alone.

When you were talking through the shopping district of Hau’oli, you slowed yourself to window shop. You spied a boutique, decorated with bright colors and pokemon plushies that drew you in. It was a cute shop that sold predominantly beauty-related items. You weren’t a big fan of beauty products, but you did have a weakness for cute things!

Unable to resist, you popped into the store. Finding some cute bubble bath with containers that were shaped like a Clefairy, you paid up front at the counter. The owner, an older woman with bright brown hair and green eyes, recognized you as new to the island.

“Hello, newcomer! How’s island life treating you?” The woman, her name tag reading Elise, smiled at you kindly.

“It’s a lovely island, much better than Unova.” You paid the total, tucking the change back into your bag. “This place is a paradise for my pokemon sanctuary.”

Elise nodded, placing the bottles of soap into a bag. “You came at a perfect time, honey. Team Skull disbanded a while ago, those pokemon thieves! I see a few stray grunts roam around stealing, but the majority of them followed their boss and turned a new leaf!”

Pokemon thieves? Sounded a lot like team rocket to you.

“It’s lovely to see young people changing their ways.” Elise sighed dreamily. “I always hoped those little Team Skull kids would see their potential. Most of them didn’t have the best start, you know?”

You frowned, taking your bag. “That’s a sad thing to hear. Let’s hope no one is dumb enough to try and take my pokemon. I have my team guarding them at all times.”

Elise gasped, eyes bright. “Guard pokemon! Oh! How amazing! Pokemon never cease to amaze me with their kindness! They help each other more than humans would ever help each other. Tell me- whose on your team? What makes a good guard pokemon?”

That was a common question, often from older ladies who wanted a guard pokemon to protect them. When it came to pokemon behavior, many people were always curious. “What makes a good guard pokemon is their personality. Are they protective and kind- that’s very important. Sure, there are certain species that are more inclined to be good guard pokemon, like my Watchog, but any well trained pokemon can guard.”

“They must be so strong!” Elise said, eyeing your belt and bag. “Do you have any of them on you? Are they all Unova pokemon?”

You shook your head. “They stay at the sanctuary when I leave; my team are all Unova pokemon, but I take in any type of pokemon at my sanctuary. I could bring my team in one day to meet you.”

The shopkeeper cheered, clapping her hands excitedly. “That would be wonderful! I’d give you a discount for every cute pokemon you bring in!”

Interested in the deal, you agreed to visit Elise next week with half your team, and then return the next week with the other half. Elise had been so excited, singing to herself when you left her shop, a new skip in your step.

Maybe she’d visit the sanctuary and fall in love with one of the pokemon! The more homes you could find, the happier you’d be!

* * *

 

 

The next day, you received a call from a woman living on Ula’Ula island. Her son, Art, would be starting his island challenge soon, but she didn’t want him getting a ‘new’ starter pokemon. The mother, Wehilani, wanted her son to have a more experienced pokemon to help her son.

You said he could come by and take a look at the available pokemon. The older pokemon wouldn’t be able to be adopted by a trainer, but you had a few pokemon who would be over the moon to have a chance to be on Art’s team.

The pair came to the sanctuary a little after noon. Wehilani walked into the sanctuary slowly, taking in every sight critically. Her son, hot on her heels, was far more open. Art’s wide brown eyes sparkled excitedly, greeting every pokemon with a chipper ‘Hello! Good afternoon!’

You liked this kid already.

“Welcome to the sanctuary!” You greeted the pair, Sawsbuck following behind you. Art’s eyes grew to the size of dinner plates at the sight of your glorious pokemon. Sawsbuck smiled down at the child, gracefully bowing his horned head.

“You must be Miss ___________!” Wehilani eagerly shook your hand, her smile bright.

“And you must be Wehilani! It’s nice to meet you.” You turned your attention to Art. “Your mother was telling me that you’re starting your training soon.”

Art nodded, brow furrowing eagerly. “That’s right! I’m ready to get started on my challenge!”

“Well, there are a few pokemon here who would be great additions to your team.” Leading the pair back into the paddock, you explained the adoption process. You passed Prinplup, but Art didn’t seem very interested. The same went with the next few pokemon you introduced him to.

You were beginning to grow concerned that he wouldn’t find a companion connection with any of your pokemon; when Zangoose came out of the tall grass where she had been napping. Scratching her red ear with her claws, she yawned widely.

“What is that?” Art gasped, frozen in his tracks. Wehilani smiled, recognizing the signs of awed interest in her son’s expression. Curious about the new comers, Zangoose came over with a smile.

“This is Zangoose.” The red-and-white pokemon bowed, forever the entertainer. Art giggled, stepping closer to the pokemon, who looked delighted at the child’s laughter. “She was abandoned. She was being bred and one day she just….refused to.”

The boy and pokemon stared at each other for a moment. Zangoose was the first to move; wrapping her arms around Art’s neck in a hug. Her tails thumped loudly on the ground when Art returned the embrace with a loud giggle.

“Honey, would you like to ask Zangoose…?” Wehilani asked, happy tears pooling in her eyes. You smiled in understanding; a child’s first pokemon was a special thing.

Art beamed, still clutching Zangoose’s fur. “I need a pokemon! Can you be mine?”

Zangoose’s eyes welled up with tears. Picking up the small child, Zangoose spun him in a circle, clutching Art to her chest. She nuzzled her new trainer, trilling happily. “ZANG! ZANG~!”

“You’ll find Art will be in good hands.” You whispered to his mother. “Zangoose is very caring. She’ll take good care of him.”

Nodding, Wehilani dabbed at her wet eyes with a tissue. “Artie, Miss ___________ and I have some paperwork to sign. Would you like to come in or-”

“Can I please stay out here with Haukea?” Art asked, eyes not leaving Zangoose’s. The white pokemon brightened, ears pointed in delight.

“Haukea?” Wehilani asked, smirking at her son. He shrugged, laughing nervously.

“It feels right.” He turned back to his new pokemon. “Do you like it? If you don’t we can find a different nickname-”

Before he could finish his sentence, Zangoose once more had the young boy in her arms. She shook him playfully, jumping up and down excitedly. “Zan! Zangooooose!”

Laughing, you gestured Wehilani to follow you. “Let’s get the paperwork out of the way. I usually do a home check before adoption, but I’ll make an exception this time. It’s rare to see a connection like that every day!”

As always, you were sad to see a pokemon leave the sanctuary. Zangoose hugged you, burying her face in your chest one last time. All of the pokemon had come to say goodbye, as was custom, and they were happy for their friend.

“Good luck on your challenge.” You said to Art, handing him Zangoose’s pokeball. “You’re always welcome here. If you need anything at all, you know where I am.”

Art’s eyes glistened, clipping his first ever pokeball to his belt. “Thanks Miss ________! I’ll be sure to bring Haukea back to visit!”

Watching the family walk away was always a highlight of your job. Zangoose walked close to her trainer, happily munching on some beans he had given her. You watched them walk down the road, sniffling a little.

_Ugh…you hated crying._

A soft nose pressed into your cheek; a hot exhale of breath washing across your face.

“I know.” You leaned into Sawsbuck’s touch. “She’s going to have a good life. I’ll miss her, too though.”

Sawsbuck nodded, stepping closer to you. He couldn’t imagine being separated from you. You were his first trainer; and he was your first pokemon. A special bond was shared between the two of you; forged by time, love, and hardships.

From his usual spot by the front porch, Houndoom watched the entire exchange.

He huffed, settling back down.

Maybe…Humans were worth giving another chance _. Just maybe._


	5. The Pokemon Center

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You can add me on tumblr! I mostly do Undertale, but I take requests for a lot of fandoms! (Pokemon, Star Trek, TMNT, ect)
> 
> http://kaytemchugh.tumblr.com/
> 
> Donate (no pressure): https://www.paypal.me/katemchughgorman

Raichu was having some problems walking without falling over. At first, you’d thought he’d gotten dizzy playing, but when it continued, you began to grow nervous. He was stumbling with every other step he took, and your poor Raichu seemed just as frustrated as you were scared.

The Nurse Joy back in Unova has said due to his ears and tail being cut off by his abusers; the poor pokemon would have issues with his balance. He didn’t seem to be getting any better!

“I know you don’t like your ball, babe.” You cooed to the upset orange mouse. “But please, get in. For me? _For a little bit_? I’ll take everyone on a trip this week if you do! _Anywhere_ you want! Beach, forest,- even that volcano if you want!”

Nervous that he would be suffering from some long term effects of his injuries, you decided that the best bet was to bring him to the pokemon center. Maybe they’d offer a different opinion on how to correct his balance!

Tucking the little mouse into his pokeball hadn’t been easy, but you knew that he would give you even more issues once he realized exactly where you were taking him.

_Smart little bugger._

The pokemon center looked different than what you were used to. The center’s back home were more factory-like; stream lined. The center by the Melemele trainer school was more quaint and cozy. There were not only the small poke-mart stalls selling balls and potions; but there was also a cute little kiosk that sold drinks and food!

There wasn’t even a police officer guarding the center! 

You felt like you were being slapped in the face with culture shock, as silly as it sounded.

Shuffling to the counter, you held out Raichu’s pokeball to the nurse. “Hey, this is the Raichu under my care. I called earlier and emailed all of my pokemon’s medical charts to you…?” You shifted your weight, nervous of the new nurse.

As with all Nurse Joys _(she was probably a third half-cousin twice removed- there were far too many Joys)_ she was incredibly kind. She gently took Raichu’s ball, holding it to her chest. “Yes, Miss _________! I’ve been waiting for you! It’s nice to see pokemon from other regions once and awhile! Keeps my mind fresh.” She winked, smiling down at the pokeball shyly.

“Thanks for seeing him on such short notice.” You shoved your hands in your pockets. “He’s never been the most coordinated, but I’m worried he’s getting worse.”

Nurse Joy nodded. “Raichu’s usually use their tails for balance and their ears are extremely sensitive. We won’t know the extent until I run some tests. You can have a seat.”

Pursing your lips, you had to force yourself from snatching Raichu’s ball back. “A…Are you sure you don’t want me to come back? He can get a little nervous around new people.”

“The new technology allows the pokemon to stay in their ball while I run the tests. He’ll be in the safety of his ball, not even aware of the scans.” Nurse Joy sensed your nerves. “Take a seat; maybe get a drink?”

Placated, but still nervous about being separated from your little mouse, you took a seat at a table close to the front desk. You hoped Raichu wouldn’t be upset at you for leaving him.

 _Hmmm_ …you really should get something to drink while you’re here.

Local flavor and all that jazz.

At the counter, you ordered lemonade, which tasted less tart than Unova’s version. The older man at the café counter was kind; it was almost as if he too could sense how nervous you were.

It made you wonder if you looked like a nervous mess to everyone you met.  

“Your pokemon will be alright, girl.” The old man said, pouring your drink. “Take a seat and relax. Nurse Josie-Joy will be out before you can even finish your lemonade.” 

Accepting the drink with a smile and a shy thanks, you went back to your table. The minutes seemed to stretch and drag along. What you thought had been half-an-hour of waiting was in reality about ten minutes.

Trying to ignore your anxiety, you scanned the room.

A few kids from the trainer school were floating in and out. The two poke mart workers were bartering with an old woman over a large order of potions. A few tourists were mulling about, taking pictures of the inside of the center.

At a table across the room, by the windows, was a beautiful woman. Her white hair was piled atop her head with a green band. Her tanned skin was so clean and her eyes were such a lovely hazel that you weren’t surprised when a man was quick to approach her table.

 _Oh_! That’s the professor who wants to adopt Houndoom!

Professor Kukui sat at the table, handing the woman a mug. She smiled, but even from this far away you could tell it was strained. You couldn’t see what Kukui’s face looked like; his large muscular back was facing you. He sat down, spine ridged and shoulders stiff.

“Geeze…they look _happy_.” You muttered to yourself sarcastically. Sipping your lemonade, you tried to focus on the sweetness of the drink. Maybe you could go shopping at the poke-mart kiosk. There wasn’t a point in leaving the center or-

“Miss _______!” Nurse Joy swung open the heavy doors of the medical bay. “Raichu is right as rain! His inner ear-drums are perfect, and his hearing seems normal. All of his internal scans looked wonderful as well.” You scurried to the front counter, eager to hear the full results.  

“So he’s not in pain? Right?” You wrung your hands. “Is there anything I can do-?”

Nurse Joy shrugged. “A Raichu’s tail is their main balancing system. Without it, your Raichu is unbalanced- which is why he seems clumsier. I can suggest some training and therapy techniques that would help him out.”

“I’d appreciate that!” You eagerly accepted Raichu’s ball back. “Anything to help him out.”

Unbeknownst to you, the couple a few tables behind you had begun to bicker. Their voices were low, but heated. Angry whispers and icy glares were thrown across the table. Some of your fellow center patrons were less oblivious than you were- and were watching the couple spat nervously.

“Thank you!” You felt like a weight was lifted off your chest. “I’ll work with him right away!” You eagerly accepted the balance-training focused pamphlets that Nurse Joy had given you.

“Good luck! I’m sure Raichu will start gaining his strength and balance back in no time! And don’t be afraid to stop in!” Nurse Joy glanced around the quiet center. She put her elbow on the counter and rested her cheek in her palm. “As you can see, things are usually pretty slow here.”

“Thank you, Nurse Joy. I really appreciate it, thanks so much! And if you ever find a pokemon with nowhere to go, you know who to call.” You smiled at the Nurse, who agreed. Making sure you had everything in order, you let Raichu out of his ball.

“There you go buddy, just like I promised.” You smiled down at Raichu, who yawned and stretched, his little stubby tail smacking against the ground. “How about we go home and have some berries?”

“ _Chuuu_ …” Raichu looked nervous, glancing at the doors. He took a few shuffled steps towards the door; glancing back at you, what was left of his ears pressed to his skull. “If you get tired I can carry you. Nurse Joy said we can work on your balance and soon you’ll be faster than a speeding bullet!”

Pumping his little fists, Raichu’s chest puffed up in pride. He could do it! He was a confident little mouse and you would bet your bottom dollar that he would be working day in and day out!

Following behind him closely, your ear caught wind of a tense conversation. Glancing out of the corner of your eye; you spied Professor Kukui and the pretty woman hissing at each other. You couldn’t make out what they were saying, but it clearly wasn’t happy.

“Raichu!” He stumbled, arms wind milling around to try and catch his balance. You were on him in an instance, swooping in to catch him. “It’s alright! Look how far you made it!” You brushed your hand over his soft orange fur. A frustrated wrinkle furrowed in Raichu’s brow.

“Rai…raaaaaii…” Raichu sounded disheartened.

“Hey…when I first took in Crobat, he couldn’t fly without smacking into a wall or a tree. It took him awhile, but he eventually healed and was able to move around again. It’ll be the same with you. I’ll help you, and before you know it, you’ll be running circles around everyone.”

Chirping happily, Raichu held his arms out to you. Unable to deny your little mouse, you picked him up into your arms. It wouldn’t hurt him to carry him home. Pushing open the door with your shoulder, you called goodbye to Nurse Joy, who waved.

Before you walked out the door, you made eye contact with Professor Kukui. He stared at you for a second, mouth pulled down into a grimace. You tried to smile at him, which you were positive came out more like a cringe.

Eager to get away from the awkward eye-contact, after all, the other woman was still talking to him, you hurried out the door.

 

 

 

 

 


	6. Houndoom's Training

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the late update, I've been going through some big life changes. I just got married and moved out of my parents house- and I've been working on fighting with depression and anxiety, so I'm sorry if I've taken a long time updating! !
> 
> You can add me on tumblr! I mostly do Undertale, but I take requests for a lot of fandoms! (Pokemon, Star Trek, TMNT, ect)
> 
> http://kaytemchugh.tumblr.com/

“Deep breath in…feel how your lungs expand…and how your body feels grounded by the Earth.” You said softly, your eyes closed. Beside you, Houndoom sat, grumpy as usual. You were surprised he had chosen to join in on the group meditation. It was something you did a few times every week with the pokemon to help them relax and enjoy their lives. 

“Good work today.” You praised the pokemon, who slowly began to go their separate ways as you wrapped up the yoga session. Onix yawned, stretched out, and crawled away to bathe in the sun. Chimecho was sitting beside Sawsbuck, resting on his warm fur. It seemed a proper time for you to escape off for a few moments.  

Dusting off your pants, you turned to walk back into the house. Professor Juniper had sent you an email last night, and you were eager to give her a call. Maybe she had a new pokemon coming your way. 

You heard the grass shift behind you. Assuming it was Baby, your Arbok, you turned around. 

Instead of the massive snake, stood Houndoom. He was watching, dark red eyes staring up at you. There was a curious glimmer in his orbs, like he was staring deep into your soul. You kept eye contact, unsure of what he exactly wanted. 

“Doom….” Houndoom huffed, nostrils flaring. 

“Do you want to come in?” You opened up the back door and held it open. “We could talk about…you?” 

Steeling himself, Houndoom nodded. He followed you in through the backdoor, which led to the kitchen. Whistling, Pidove swiftly flew to you, landing on your shoulder. Patting her head with your fingers, you giggled when your sweet little bird nuzzled your cheek. 

“Can you do me a favor, sweetheart?” You asked your sweet little bird. “Tell the team that no one should come into the house until Houndoom and I are done. Alright?” 

Pidove saluted you with her wing before fluttering out the kitchen window. Glancing down at Houndoom, you waved at him to follow you into the living room. Sitting down on one of the large bean bag chairs, the two of you quietly stared at each other. 

You might as well start off the conversation…it wasn’t like Houndoom was going too. 

“When Officer Jenny brought you to the sanctuary, I couldn’t believe it. You were so skinny and seemed to hate anyone that tried to touch you.” You recalled first meeting Houndoom on that freezing cold night. Officer Jenny had called you to the pokemon center, citing an emergency. You had raced to the center in the rain, surprised by the sight of a bloody, starved, and bruised Houndoom. “And it made me sad.” 

Houndoom slumped, dropping his head onto his paws. 

“Because you were so  _ magnificent _ .” 

Houndoom’s head perked up. 

“I was sad. I pitied the trainer that treated you so horribly. They must have had something  _ so wrong _ with  _ them _ that they couldn’t see how wonderful you are.” You picked at your cuticles, a nervous tick you had picked up long ago. 

Houndoom looked at you, slack-jawed in… _ surprise _ ? Maybe in awe? He was a tough cookie to read sometimes. His ears twitched, wrinkling his muzzle into a small smile. 

You felt like screaming! That was the first smile you’d seen from him! 

“With that!” You stood up quickly; Houndoom didn’t seem the type to linger on mushy feelings. “I want to show you how a real trainer treats their pokemon. We’ll start off slow; you can shadow me and my team. We’ll show you how we train together, go battle some wild pokemon, and maybe another trainer!” 

Narrowing his eyes at you, Houndoom huffed. His scarred toes tapped against the floor and the muscles in his shoulders tensed. 

“You don’t have to fight.” You reasoned. “Just follow me and the team around. See how a good trainer works alongside their pokemon. As equals.” 

Cautiously, Houndoom nodded his head.

* * *

 

 

Waking up early to spend some much needed one-on-one time with your pokemon team was very important to you. You never wanted them to feel like they were being pushed aside in favor of the sanctuary pokemon. Setting aside a few hours when the day began was a good way to keep nurturing the bond you had with your pokemon. 

Zebstrika and Zoroark were racing each other around the yard. Pidove and Watchog were lounging atop of Sawsbuck, who looked like he’d rather be sleeping. Liepard sat in your lap, side-eyeing Houndoom, who was observing the group from a few yards away. 

“He’s never had a good trainer.” You knew Liepard was suspicious of the dog-type. Liepard hissed, her back arching against your hand. You scratched her back, going with the flow of her purple fur, just the way she liked. “He’s seeing how a normal trainer and pokemon interact.” 

Liepard gave you the stink eye. You could practically hear her insult: ‘ _ normal trainer?’ _

Glaring at her playfully, you gently tugged on one of her ears. “Watch it, you little sneak.” Liepard swatted at your hand, gracefully leaping from your lap. Slinking over to Houndoom, the two dark-types stared each other down. 

Sighing, you left the two to their staring contest. “Pidove, how is the nest coming?” 

Peering around Liepard, Houndoom continued to watch you interact with your pokemon. 

By the time the sanctuary pokemon were waking up for the day, your pokemon team had disbanded. Watchog scurried onto the roof of the house to spy across the land. Pidove took to the skies to scan further. Sawsbuck went to the back of the paddock, easily maneuvering through the thick brush. Zoroark and Zebstrika teamed up; going to some of the younger pokemon to check in on them. 

Liepard came back to your side, mewling happily. “Paaard…Liieee..” She glanced towards the road, her tail waving. Houndoom sat on his haunches, watching you with stony red-eyes. 

“You want to go train with some wild pokemon?” You asked Liepard, who began eagerly weaving around your legs. Whiskers twitching, she peered at Houndoom, who huffed, glancing shyly towards the road. “You’re welcome to join us if you want!” 

With the open offer, you and Liepard walked out of the paddock. Hearing the pad of heavy paws behind you, Liepard and you shared an amused smirk. You knew your Liepard must have goaded poor Houndoom into coming; you loved that about her, your sneaky blackmailing little feline. 

The first pokemon you ran into, per your luck, was a grumpy looking Spearow. 

“Alright, Liepard! Let’s give Houndoom a show.” You whispered to your mischievous pokemon, who mewled in agreement. The Spearow seemed eager for a fight, his long talons glistening in the sunshine. 

You were debating whether to go with night slash or shadow claw… 

“Give him a fake out.” You watched carefully. The Spearow must be powerful, seeing as how massive he was. Liepard lunged to the left, fangs exposed. Spearow cawed, flinching back, wings poised for an attack. 

“Spearow! Spearow!” Swinging its neck forward, its beak at the ready to peck at Liepard’s face. She narrowly missed the attack, almost bending in half to get away. She landed gracefully on her feet, her tail helping her keep her balance. 

“Good job!” You cheered, jumping up and down. “Give him a night slash!” 

You could see the muscles in Liepard’s back coil up. With a weightless leap, Liepard was airborne, claws poised for the attack, which hit on target! The Spearow was sent flying, relatively uninjured, back into the tall grass. 

“THAT’S RIGHT!” You cheered, dropping to your knees to wrap your arms around your pokemon. Liepard purred, tail curling around your shoulders happily. “Great job! These Alolan Spearows don’t know what hit ‘em when they cross paths with you!” 

Liepard snickered and turned to Houndoom to smirk at him. The frown which usually graced his muzzle was not as deep set as before. You could practically see the gears in his mind turning. Had he really never seen a normal pokemon battle- a trainer and their partner working in harmony? Liepard’s smug grin slipped off her face and she mewled in concern at Houndoom. His muzzle puckered and his brow furrowed. 

“Are you alright?” Maybe it was too soon for this. 

The tall grass rustled. You and Liepard turned and prepared for an aggressive wild pokemon to jump out. 

“Hello?”

From the tall grass came a young teenager with long brown hair and wearing a tennis outfit. She smiled at us and waved. “Heya! I’ve been looking for someone to challenge. Are you game?” She smiled pleadingly, practically bouncing on the balls of her feet. 

How could you say no? You remember being her age, running around looking for other trainers to battle with. 

“I’d love to.” You nodded to Liepard, who mewled happily. 

“Two on two?” The young girl asked, glancing at my pokemon and Houndoom. You were about to turn her down and keep it the traditional one-on-one, when Houndoom stepped forward and nodded gruffly. Liepard chirped happily, dancing around the grumpy dog. 

“A-alright!” You were shocked. Houndoom didn’t even want to come with you this morning, and now he’s diving right into a battle! “Liepard, Houndoom, you guys do your best!” 

The young girl hurriedly threw out her pokeballs, eager for the battle. In a flash of light appeared the two opponents, a cute little Pikipek and and strong looking Bonsly. Liepard eyed the two pokemon cautiously, while Houndoom stood stone still and glared. 

You nodded for the young girl to go first. 

“Bonsly, low kick!” The girl ordered, pointing to Houndoom. 

Quickly, you shouted. “Dodge and counter with a thunder fang on Pikipek! Liepard, play rough on Bons- what are you doing?” 

Houndoom seemed to completely ignore what you said. He didn’t fully dodge the low kick, but instead of going after Pikipek, he lunged towards Bonsly and used fire fang. The edge of Bonsly’s kick slammed into his ribs and his attack barley put a dent into his opponents HP. 

Liepard managed to land a hit on the Bonsly, but she was not covered when the Pikipek brought a strong rock smash down onto her. She yowled angrily, skirting away to a safe distance. She hissed angrily at Houndoom, who seemed frustrated at how this battle was going. He snapped back at Liepard in frustration. 

He wasn’t ready for this. 

“Houndoom, you need to listen to my suggestions and cover your partner! This battle is all about teamwork! Now- use thunder fang on Pikipek and Liepard, you know what to do!” 

Steeling himself, Houndoom charged at the bird and in one thunder fang, the poor bird was unconscious and back in its pokeball. Liepard rushed Bonsly and let rip a powerful dark pulse which sent her opponent sprawled onto their back. 

“Whoa! That was crazy!” The young girl seemed happy, even as she called her unconscious pokemon back into their balls. “Thanks for battling with me.” She reached into her fanny pack to pull out some money, but you stopped her. 

“Don’t worry about that.” You weren’t about to take a young kid’s money. “Do you want help getting to the pokemon center?” 

The girl shook her head. “No, that’s alright! I’ve got my other pokemon to protect me through the rest of the grass. Thanks again for the fun time- your pokemon are really cute!” 

Shaking the girl’s hand, you squeezed it fondly. “That Bonsly of yours is so strong, it’s going to be magnificent with a little more training.” The girl squealed out a thank you before scuttling away, giddily cradling her pokeballs.  

Houndoom watched the entire exchange with a tight frown. It was hard not to feel bad for the poor pokemon. Had he never seen two trainers get along and build each other up? His reluctance to follow your lead showed that his trust issues would need work. 

With the other trainer gone, you knelt down beside him. 

“Why didn’t you listen to me at first?” You tried to keep your tone soft. “If you want to be apart of a team, we need to work together. What would I ever do if you were hurt badly during a battle?”   

Houndoom wouldn’t make eye contact, glaring into the dirt beneath his claws. 

“Everyone makes mistakes. I’ve certainly made some bad calls during a battle-”

Liepard mewled loudly in agreement. 

Damn cat. 

“I’ve made bad calls and made mistakes, and the ones who suffer are my pokemon. That’s on me- that’s my responsibility as a trainer. My pokemon listen to me during a battle and I trust in their abilities. You need to trust me.” 

Houndoom shook his head out of frustration. Huffing, a gleaming tear began to well up in his eyes. 

“I know it’s hard.” Placing your hand on his quivering shoulder, you gently ran your fingers through the oily fur. “I’m not asking you to trust every person you’ll ever meet, but you need to trust me. It’s awesome that you want to try battling, but you need to trust me and I need to trust you.” 

Reluctantly, Houndoom nodded. 

“Super!” You patted him on the shoulder. “Let’s head back!”

The walk back to the sanctuary was lengthy, with the occasional wild pokemon popping out of the tall grass. Leipard and Houndoom made quick work of them, sending them scurrying back into the grass. With every battle won, a bit of pride would build up inside Houndoom. 

Pushing open the main gate, both pokemon walked in, Liepard playfully nipping at her friend’s heels. Houndoom snarled back, but the fierce sound was nothing more than friendly teasing. It made you smile, seeing the growing relationship between the two dark types. 

Houndoom was getting better everyday. 

Walking up to your door, you noticed the dirt and sweat that you had accumulated on the venture. Before you could place your hand on the door knob, a soft muzzle against the back of your neck stopped you. 

“What I wouldn’t do for a shower.” You whined, turning around to face your loyal Sawsbuck. “What’s wrong buddy? Did Baby try and eat Grumpig again? I say let him.”  

Sawsbuck snorted, shaking his head. He nodded his head in the direction of the main paddock. Over the massive wooden fence, you spied a familiar white baseball cap. That strange professor was sitting in the field, calmly petting Leavanny- who was preening under the attention. Quickly, you made your way over, snickering at the look of bliss on Leavanny’s sweet little face. 

“Hey, professor, how’s it going?” Your appearance seemed to shock Kukui, his head snapped quickly to face you. A smile quickly graced his face and he hurriedly stood up.  

“Alola!” Leavanny grumbled about losing Kukui’s attention. “I just came around to see how the island was treating you, yeah.” 

“Good, everything’s good.” 

A crash so loud that it shook the ground came from the garage. 

“I’m taking one day at a time.” You couldn’t help but laugh, rubbing your throbbing forehead. “Sorry about that, I wish I could say we’re not a hot mess here, but….we’re kind of a hot mess right now. I’m sure in a few more days we’ll be all settled in.” 

“Don’t worry about it.” Kukui smiled knowingly. “My own lab is a hot mess and I’ve been here all my life, yeah!” 

Even though he was odd, Kukui was kind.

“I saw you in the center with Raichu. Is everything alright?” He asked, glancing around the main paddock for the tiny mouse pokemon. 

“He’s asleep inside the house right now, but he’s alright. Without his tail he’s really unbalanced and Nurse Joy gave us some training techniques to gain his balance back. Poor things been working his butt off all day and night.” 

While you were talking, Houndoom came from behind you, sniffing at the Professor’s feet. Kukui’s eyes lit up and he quickly dropped into a squat to be eye-level with the dark-type. Houndoom lept back, wary of the professor. 

“Glad that he’s alright.” He held his hand out, open palm, for the dog to inspect. “I….I actually wanted to apologize for...uhm..” 

You may not have known Kukui well, but he didn’t seem like the type to beat around the bush. He wasn’t acting like  like the same confident man that had let himself into your home. Dark eyes darted around, unable to meet yours. 

“At the pokemon center. If it was awkward, I’m sorry. I should have come over and checked in on you, but Burnet, my wife and I we’re...well we’re having some issues and-”

“It’s alright.” You cut him off, much to his relief. “Don’t worry about it... Houndoom had a great day today!” 

That’s right, change the subject. The last thing you needed to do was get between a fighting husband and wife. 

Houndoom grumbled shyly, glaring at the professor in a thinly veiled facade of dislike. He took a sniff of the professor’s outstretched palm, snuffling angrily. Stepping away, the horned dog chose to hide behind you like a little pup. 

“We battled together today.” 

“Yeah! That’s great! Before long, you and I will be partners, cousin!” Kukui peered behind you to smile at the dark-type, who growled at him. 

...He might need more time before that happened. 

“We’re still working on his healing.” Houndoom let out a sigh of relief. 

How could you nicely tell this man to leave.... 

It’s not that you didn’t like his company! Kukui is a very kind, strange, but considerate guy… 

But all you wanted right now was a shower. 

“Thank you for checking in on us, I really appreciate it. Everyone on this island is so sweet.” You smiled at the tanned man, hoping he’d take the hint and hit the road.

Kukui stood up and brushed the dirt from his capri pants. “It’s no problem at all. If you need anything at all, you know where to find me or Kahuna Hala. And don’t forget about me whenever Houndoom is fighting fit!” 

Houndoom grumbled. 

“You’re at the top of the list, Professor.” 

The tall professor smiled and turned to walk towards the front gate. You unhooked the latch and forced the heavy wooden door open. Before Kukui could step foot off the sanctuary, you stopped him with a hand on his shoulder. 

“I’m sorry about the...issues, Professor. I hope today’s a bit better.” You offered the professor a smile, which he returned. 

“Thanks, ___________. See ya, cousin.” 

You watched Kukui leave until he was far down the dirt street. Relatching the paddock, you slumped in the direction of your front door. Lounging in front of the door was Zoroark, twirling the end of her ponytail between her claws. Glancing between the retreating professor and the pouting Houndoom, she snickered. 

“He seems adamant.” Sighing, you reached around Zoroark for the doorknob. “And who knows, maybe Houndoom will grow to like him. His other pokemon seem to like him. Maybe he could be a good fit for Houndoom.”  

From the roof, Watchog let out a disbelieving snort. 

Yanking the door open, you huffed. “Who asked you, nosy.” 

It was hard to ignore the snickers of your pokemon as you went inside for your much deserved shower and snack. 


	7. The Onix Compound

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for all the lovely comments and the kudos<3 
> 
> You can add me on tumblr! I mostly do Undertale, but I take requests for a lot of fandoms! (Pokemon, Star Trek, TMNT, ect)
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Onix wasn’t eating. 

It started so suddenly. One minute your precious girl was her usual lazy self and the next she was a shell of her former self. Her rock-like skin had become chalky and the usual sheen in her eyes was gone. You’d tried to tempt her with a soothing massage, special snacks from the cafer, and her favorite berries from Pineda’s fields- but nothing made Onix move. All she wanted to do was sleep under the largest tree at the back of the paddock and hum to herself. 

You’d run yourself ragged trying to raise her spirits, but nothing you did seemed to help. 

“I don’t know what to do...maybe bring her to the pokemon center?” You were sitting with Sawsbuck in the woods at the back at the paddock. “She won’t tell me if she’s hurting, but I can’t think of any other reason why she won’t move.” 

“Sawwwss…” Your faithful companion had been keeping a watchful eye on Onix. He stamped his foot against the ground and shook his head. It seemed he was at a loss as well. He glanced down the road, in the direction of the pokemon center. 

“I think we should bring her in.” Chewing your lip, you toyed with Onix’s pokeball. “I feel bad for bothering with Nurse Joy. I don’t want her thinking that we’re falling ill left and right.” 

Sawsbuck shot you a frustrated look. He was always the best at calling out your self-conscious bullshit. Nudging the pokeball in your hand, he gently poked you with his antlers towards Onix’s direction. 

“You’re right, I might as well strike when she’s asleep. Maybe she won’t even notice where we’re going.” 

Sawsbuck snorted. Onix may be old, but she never missed a beat. 

Tip-toeing up behind the goliath, you quickly drew her into her ball. She didn’t struggle like she normally did; which was both a blessing and made you even more nervous. The other pokemon watched warily as you headed towards the road. 

“Sawsbuck, you’re in charge.” You called. Sawsbuck settled down beside Baby and Taurus, the prime example of calm and composed. Your friend was always better at holding a brave face than you were. 

Pidove flirted around your head, her wings beating so fast that your hair blew into your face. “No, no, love dove. You stay here. I’ll be fine by myself.” 

Not wanting to upset the other pokemon, you set off on your own. The center was a short walk away and you’d learned how to avoid the tall grass and the trees that wild bird pokemon liked to nest in. The entire trip, Onix did not move an inch inside her ball. Worry began to gnaw at your insides. 

Pushing open the door to the center, Nurse Joy perked up from behind the counter. “______! Alola! What can I do for you?” 

Sheepishly, you placed Onix’s ball into Nurse Joy’s hands. “My Onix hasn’t been herself. She’s usually as lazy as a Slowking, but now she’s more of a Snorlax. She stopped eating yesterday morning and I’m worried that….” 

You couldn’t even bring yourself to say it. 

Placing the ball into the scanner, Nurse Joy carefully observed the readings. “Onix is quite old- the typical lifespan is about 70, and she is... _ wow _ . She’s 95.” The nurse’s eyebrows shot up almost to her hairline. 

“Onix’s first owner took great care of her until he passed a few years ago. She only ever had the best food, doctors, medicine; anything a pokemon could ever want.” You’d never met an Onix older than her, and it was something you worried about. Many elderly pokemon had spent their final golden years in your care, but losing a pokemon was never easy.    

Nurse Joy tapped along the scanner, analyzing the results. Humming to herself, she plucked up Onix’s ball. “I’m seeing something along her spine, but I need a more indepth scan. Give me a moment.” 

And once again, you were left waiting at the same table by the cafe. 

Not bothering with a drink, you wasted time on your pokedex, answering messages from back home and updating the sanctuary's files. That quickly became boring and you were left waiting again. Time was crawling by and you tried to keep yourself occupied by watching trainers as they came and went through the center on their way to the trainer school. 

Returning from the back room, Nurse Joy waved you back to the front desk. “Good news or bad?” You asked nervously, almost tripping over yourself to reach the counter. 

“The joint’s in Onix’s spine are damaged from age. I would prescribe a daily pain medication, but I’m worried about what side effects a pokemon of her age would have.” She frowned. “The side effects could end her time sooner. Her joints are causing her discomfort, which is why she isn’t moving or eating.” 

Your elbows hit the counter and your shoulders slumped. “Then what are our options? I don’t want her to suffer, but I don’t want to cause her to die in the long run.” 

“I’ve called the professor, and he seemed very optimistic. he’s great with rock types, like that Rockruff of his, afterall. He says there’s a compound that he can create quickly in the lab and have up to you by tomorrow morning. The compound is an anti inflammatory and doesn’t have the same side effects as the pain medication. Onix might still feel a bit of discomfort, but she will feel relief and be able to move freely. I’m going to prescribe some pain medication for when she has bad days, but these are by no means to be used for daily relief.”  

Nurse Joy placed a container of medium sized pills on the counter. Snatching them up, you quickly put them into your bag. “Thank you for all your help. I’d be a mess without you.” 

A massive blush bloomed across the nurse’s face. “Oh, you!” She giggled, covering her face. “________, you’re too sweet. Now, get out of here! The professor said he’ll be over at the sanctuary bright and early tomorrow morning.” 

You hoped so, for Onix’s sake. 

When you returned home, the sun was beginning to settle along the horizon. As gently as you could, you released Onix from her ball. She hissed in discomfort as she settled down in the grass, curling in on herself. 

“Hey, sweet lady.” 

She glared at you. 

“I’ve got some medicine to help you feel better, but you need to take it with food. Can you manage that?” You asked, the bottle of pills feeling heavy in your bag. Onix’s black orbs trailed over you before she gave a solemn nod. 

You rushed into the house to whip up a bowl of Onix’s favorite food. Taking a pill from the container, you mixed one capsule in with the food to try and mask the bitter taste. When you walked back outside, Onix was still curled up in the grass. Prinplup, Tauros, and Chimecho were sitting around their friend, chirping worriedly. 

“Here you go, girl.” You placed the bowl down close to her. She cringed and pulled away from the bowl. 

“Chime…” Nudging Onix with his tail, Chimecho pressed him in the direction of the bowl. Grumbling, Onix slowly began to eat for the first time in days. With each bite you felt relief. Onix finished the meal quickly and pushed the bowl away; giving you a look that said: ‘ _ There, I’m done. Happy?’  _

Crabby old broad. 

“Professor will be here in the morning with something to help you.” 

From somewhere on the sanctuary, Houndoom let out a anguished groan. 

“He’s not taking you away! You’ll live!” You shouted, betting the dramatic dog could hear you. “He’s making you a medicine that you’ll have to take everyday; but it will make your back stop hurting as much.” Onix, first displeased with the idea, perked up at the thought of less pain. 

With a whistle, you called over Watchog, who stood stiffly at attention. “Watch over her tonight.” You whispered once you were out of earshot of Onix. “If anything seems amiss, send Zebstrika or Sawsbuck to come get me, alright?” 

Watchog nodded and scurried back up onto the roof of the house. The other pokemon circled around Onix, talking calmly with her and gently rubbing along her back. It comforted you to know that the pokemon had bonded with each other. 

Sleep was hard to come by that night. You found yourself constantly looking out of the kitchen window to look at Onix, who was sleeping peacefully. All of the pokemon were around her; some sleeping and others keeping a watchful eye on Onix’s steady breathing. 

It wasn’t until four in the morning when you were finally able to get to sleep. It wasn’t the most restful sleep you’d ever had, but it was better than nothing. You were hoping to sleep until the professor came around in the morning. 

The mistake you made was assuming what time Kukui considered ‘ _ first thing in the morning _ ’. 

To you, first thing was around eight, maybe eight-thirty. 

Apparently, to Professor Kukui, it meant six. 

The loud knocking on your door made you jump from your bed. Scrambling for a hoodie, you covered your pajamas and rushed to the front door. Before you could make it to the living room, the door started to jiggle. 

“I’m coming!” You unlocked the door and swung it open, worried it was one of your pokemon coming to give you bad news about Onix. Instead, on your doorstep stood an exhausted Professor Kukui. 

“Why’d you lock the door?” Kukui asked seriously, letting himself into your living room. 

Still not fully awake, you rubbed at your eyes with your knuckles. “What? Who doesn’t lock their doors?”  

Kukui smiled and shook his head. “Alola, good morning anyways, cousin.” Kukui looked worse for wear. His usually tanned skin was pale and he rested his arm on your countertop, clearly using it to hold his weight up.  “I mixed the compound that Nurse Joy asked for, but in powder form. It’ll be easier to mix into Onix’s food.” He yawned, holding out a large container of yellow-whitish powder. 

“Thank you so much.” You tried to ignore the exhausted tremble in Kukui’s hand. He looked like he was about to drop dead. “But...have you slept, Professor?” 

He brushed you off with a wave. “Sleep is for the dead and ghost types, cousin!” 

The more you looked, the worse Kukui looked- the dark rings under his eyes were the most obvious. Usually neat rows of braids were frayed, facial hair was untrimmed, and his lab coat was dirty and ripped. Dark eyes seemed unfocused and unable to hold your gaze. 

To say it nicely, Kukui looked like crap. 

“Would you like some tea?” Maybe he’d sit and relax for a moment. 

“No can do, cousin!” He was already heading towards the front door. “Maybe another time! See you later, yeah!” 

“Y-yeah…” He lacked the confident pep in his step that you’d grown accustomed to. Worried that he’d pass out on the walk back to the lab, you watched him until he was a few yards down the dirt road. 

“Pidove.” Your little friend was perched on your shoulder within a second of calling their name. “Could you follow the professor back to the lab? I don’t think he can make it back.” 

Pidove cooed anxiously, but took flight. Hopefully you were just overreacting. After all, Kukui was a grown ass man, and you didn’t even know him that well! Pidove would be back soon and you wouldn’t have to worry. 

Starting your daily duties, you set out to feed all the pokemon. Onix seemed happy with the medicine and ate her breakfast slowly. The other pokemon ate their breakfasts and began their usual morning routines. Maybe you could work with Grumpig and Houndoom together? 

A screeching from the roof interrupted the calm morning. Watchog was screaming like a madman, jumping up and down and pointing towards something in the distance. Zoroark, Zebstrika, and Liepard created a protective circle around the main paddock, ready to defend the sanctuary. Sawsbuck raced over to you, nose to the wind. 

“What is it?” Team Rocket wasn’t on the island to your knowledge, so this wasn’t an attempted poke-napping, was it? 

The rapid fluttering of wings caught your attention. Pidove appeared in the sky, cooing loudly. She dove for your face, stopping an inch away and flapping her powerful wings in your face. She was absolutely frantic, cooing and gesturing down the road. 

“What is it?” Your heart was pounding in your chest. Pidove looked at you as if to say ‘you idiot’ and gestured down the road again. “Is there something wrong with Professor?” 

“Pidove!” She nodded her head, flying in terrified circles around your head. 

“Crap!” You started to run towards the house. “Zoroark, you’re in charge. Sawsbuck, Pidove, Houndoom, you’re coming with me!” You ripped your front door open and grabbed your coat and pokedex. Your pokemon met you at the main gate, while the others nervously mulled in the main paddock. 

With practiced ease, you leapt onto Sawsbuck’s back. “Pidove, show us where the Professor is!” Gripping onto the fur at Sawsbuck’s neck, you held on as he followed Pidove at a breakneck pace. Houndoom followed at his hooves, a wild gleam in his eyes. 

Pidove led the group down the long stretch of dirt road and into the Hau’oli Outskirts. Leaping through the tall grass, Sawsbuck followed Pidove towards the beach. 

There, about five yards away from his lab, the Professor was laying face-down in sand. 

“Professor!” You screamed, jumping off of your partner and into the hot sand. It burned your knees and hands as you knelt by the Professor’s side. Houndoom was quickly at your side, nuding at the professor’s head, knocking off his hat. 

“C’mon, we have to get him inside.” Your pokemon helped you roll Kukui over and heft him up.  You brought him up the creaking steps and pushed open the mangled front door. No one seemed to be inside the lab. 

“Let’s get him on the couch.” You led the group, your grip firm on the professors upper body. Sawsbuck helped you get the majority of his body onto the couch, while Houndoom pushed his legs up onto the cushions. 

Fumbling for your pokedex, you opened up the call pad. “We should probably call someone.” You deadpanned. The only numbers you had were for the professor, Nurse Joy, and the Island Kahuna. 

A jolt of an idea struck you. Putting your hand in the pocket of Kukui’s lab coat, you pulled out his pokedex. Hopefully he wouldn’t have a passcode and you’d be able to dig through his contacts. With a sigh of relief, you were able to open up his call pad and begin to search through his saved numbers. 

_ ‘Professor Burnet’  _

Huh...a little formal for a married couple. 

Pressing the call button, you writhed, waiting for his wife to pick up. The pokedex rang for what felt like forever before the screen lit up and the same gorgeous white-haired woman that you’d seen at the Poke Center appeared. 

“What do you want- Oh...you’re not Kukui. Hi.” The aggressive frown melted off the woman, Professor Burnet’s, face. 

“Hi,  _ uhh _ , sorry to bother you.” Wherever Professor Burnet was working, it was certainly high tech. It looked like she was surrounded by expensive machinery. “But your husband passed out. My pokemon and I got him on the couch in the lab, but I wasn’t sure if this was common for him...or what I should do exactly.” 

Burnet sighed, rubbing her forehead. “He’s done this a few times before; working himself into exhaustion. I’d really appreciate it if you could stay with him until I get there- I’ll call a Charizard right now.” 

“It’s no trouble.” You instantly felt relieved. “See you soon.” 

With a smile, Professor Burnet hung up. You spent the next few moments going through the lab’s kitchen and bathroom, searching for a first aid kit. Unable to find it, you settled for a cool washcloth. 

Houndoom was sitting by Kukui’s feet, watching the steady rise and fall of the professor’s chest. Sawsbuck was standing by a large tank of Luvdisc, calmly watching the fish pokemon swim around. Pidove perched on a desk and nestled down to rest- she deserved a few treats for her hard work. 

You waited patiently, and about an hour later Professor Burnet let herself into the lab. Her hair and clothes were wind blown, but she was somehow still gorgeous and looked more put-together than you’d ever been. 

“Hey.” You reached out to shake Professor Burnet’s hand. “I’m _________, I own the pokemon sanctuary up the road. Your husband brought me some medicine for my sick Onix this morning and he passed out on his way back here.” 

Burnett smiled, kindly patting the back of your hand. “Thank you so much, _________. Kukui’s talked about your sanctuary. He mentioned something about a Houndour…?” 

“Houndoom.” The massive dog snarled by Professor Kukui’s feet. Burnet gasped in surprise before giggling. 

“You must be whom he was talking about. Kukui does always have an eye for gorgeous pokemon.” Houndoom blushed, quickly hiding his face between the couch cushions. 

“Thank you so much for calling me, but I can take it from here.” Professor Burnet smiled and pulled out a first aid kit that was placed on a nearby bookshelf. 

Who the hell puts their first aid on a bookshelf? 

“I’m sorry again for calling you at work.” You whistled to your pokemon to gather. “If you ever need anything, stop by the sanctuary.” 

Professor Burnet smiled gratefully. “You’ve already done so much. Thank you, ___________.” 

Opening the front door, Pidove and Sawsbuck left before you. Houndoom stayed on the couch, eyes trained on the prone professor. His tail quivered nervously.

“I’m sure the professor wouldn’t mind if you stayed until  he woke up.” You offered. 

Professor Burnet was pulling up a chair to sit beside the sofa, and she offered Houndoom a gentle smile. “Wouldn’t mind? He’d love to wake up and see you! Kukui’s been talking about adopting you for days.” 

“If there’s any trouble, shoot me a message. I’ll see you later, Professor Burnet, nice to meet you.” 

“You have a nice day, _________. Thanks again for helping Kukui.” Burnet waved as you closed the door of the lab behind you. Squinting as the bright sun shone in your face, you turned back with your pokemon and headed back to the sanctuary. 

You didn’t worry about the professor for the rest of the day. 

But when night fell, you couldn’t fall asleep. 


End file.
